Mental Health

2009 Legislative Agenda

Created on: Saturday, December 6, 2008 - 5:28pm

The Children's Alliance 2009 Legislative Agenda lays out our top priorities in this tough legislative session.

Attachment: 2009 Legislative Agenda (79k)

Apple Health for Kids enrollment by county

Created on: Monday, January 9, 2012 - 1:05pm

Four out of 10 children in our state use Apple Health for Kids to see a doctor, dentist or other medical professional. Click here to see how many children are enrolled in Apple Health for Kids in each of Washington’s 39 counties.

Legislative Agenda: 2012 session

Created on: Monday, January 2, 2012 - 3:15pm

Our 2012 legislative agenda calls on lawmakers to:

  • Protect Apple Health for Kids and State Food Assistance;
  • Reject further budget cuts that hurt low-income families and children of color;
  • Improve health with a licensed dental practitioner;
  • Close the opportunity gap with early learning;
  • Raise revenue to protect our future.

Download and print our 2012 legislative agenda.

Proclamation by the Children of Washington State

Created on: Monday, December 12, 2011 - 4:27pm

On Dec. 2, 2011, Children's Alliance gathered hundreds across the state on Capitol steps to issue a statement to lawmakers signed by Washington's kids.

Read our Proclamation by the Children of Washington State: For Us, By Us, For Our Future.  

The State of Washington's Children

Created on: Thursday, December 1, 2011 - 10:13pm

The State of Washington’s Children 2012 is a broad review of how Washington’s 1.5 million kids are faring in tough times. The report is issued by KIDS COUNT in Washington, a new partnership between Children’s Alliance and the Washington State Budget & Policy Center.

Read the report.

Children's Alliance Annual Membership Meeting

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 - 8:30am

Let's say YES to policies that support all Washington's kids! We can use our power and passion as parents, advocates, caregivers and leaders to protect kids and fight for budgets and policies that put kids first. Join us on September 21st at the Children's Alliance Annual Membership Meeting.

Budget, budget, budget details for human services

 

The fine staff at the Children's Home Society of Washington have produced their characteristically comprehensive summary of budget items for human services. This is for the detail-oriented. 

Human Services 2009-2011 Budget Summary

Created on: Thursday, May 14, 2009 - 12:07pm

Comprehensive summary of budget items affecting human services prepared by staff of the Children's Home Society of Washington.

A spotlight on children's mental health

Today is national children’s mental health awareness day, which gives us a great opportunity to talk about a win for children’ mental health in this past legislative session. Thanks to a bill that passed this year, children don't have to worry about cuts to needed mental health services. 

Back in 2007, the legislature passed a bill that, among other things, upped to 20 per year the number of therapy visits children on Medicaid could make to a mental health professional (the limit had been 12 per year.) That provision was set to expire on July 1, 2010.

This session, legislators passed a bill (HB 1373) to eliminate the expiration date on those services, allowing children to continue to get 20 therapy visits a year indefinitely.

Fact Sheet: Juvenile Justice

Created on: Wednesday, January 7, 2009 - 9:37am

In 2008, the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration (JRA), where youth committing serious offenses are held, reported that more than 60% of youth held in JRA facilities have “significant mental health issues,” and 85% of the youth in residential care are substance abusers or chemically dependent. Click on the attached fact sheet to read more about juvenile justice in Washington.